Vatican, Jun. 27, 2005 (CWNews.com) - The first
official phase in the process toward beatification for Pope John Paul II (bio
- news) will be opened June
28.

Cardinal Camillo Ruini, the Pope's vicar for Rome, will
preside at the formal opening of the diocesan investigation into the life of the
late Pontiff. The ceremony, to be held in the basilica of St. John Lateran-- the
cathedral of the Rome diocese-- will be held in conjunction with the first
Vespers for the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, patrons of the diocese.

The beatification process begins in the diocese where
the candidate died: thus, in the case of John Paul II, in Rome. Ordinarily the
process cannot begin until five years after the candidate's death. But because
Pope Benedict waived that requirement in the case of his predecessor-- a
decision he announced in the same Lateran basilica on May 13-- the process will
begin less than 3 months after the Pontiff's death.

After the Vespers ceremony, Msgr. Slawomir Oder, who
has been appointed as postulator for the cause of John Paul II, will present his
mandate to the members of the diocesan tribunal, including Cardinal Ruini. He
will then receive formal approval to compile a thorough dossier on "the life and
the virtues" of "the Servant of God John Paul II, in lay life Karol Wojtyla,
Sovereign Pontiff." After the administration of an oath of office to Msgr. Oder
and the other officials associated with the cause, all of the faithful present
at the ceremony will be encouraged to pray "for the intercession of the Servant
of God John Paul II. " The Rome diocese has already announced that anyone having
specific testimony to present regarding the life and virtue of Pope John Paul,
or miracles attributed to his intercession, should write to the Rome vicariate.
Testimony can be sent by email to:

Postulazione.GiovanniPaoloII@VicariatusUrbis.org.

On May 30, the Rome diocese had published an official
edict, signed by Cardinal Ruini, announcing the opening of the cause for John
Paul II. That edict described the deceased Pontiff as "a man of intense prayer,
a tireless pastor of the universal Church, and a courageous witness to the
Gospel of Christ." It adds that his reputation for personal holiness, already
widespread during his lifetime, "exploded in a brilliant manner at the time of
his death."